By Ragan M. Conteh
Members of Parliament of both the ruling party and the opposition have informed this medium that the position of Leader of Government Business will create animosity within the House if not addressed.
According to some MPs, the current Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mohamed Sidi Tunis, has leadership qualities to arrange activities of MPs in the House of Parliament without questioning.
The MPs said the sudden dismissal of Hon. Mohamed Sidi Tunis, as Leader of Government Business in Parliament, was not timely as the current state of the country needs leaders that cross boundaries and that can better advocate for MPs to work in unity, regardless of their political differences.
During the debate in the House, recently, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Member of Parliament representing Constituency 132, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, informed the House that, now that Hon. Mohamed Sidi Tunis has been appointed as ECOWAS Speaker of Parliament, he should resign his position as Leader of Government Business in the Sierra Leone Parliament.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh pointed out that the MP should not eat with two hands, adding that the ECOWAS Parliament Speakership has enormous challenges that need Hon. Tunis’s key attention.
Hon. Tawa further said there are MPs in Parliament that are equally qualified for the said position, and therefore urged the newly appointed ECOWAS Speaker to step aside and give opportunity to others.
The newly appointed Deputy Leader of Government Business, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, in his submission, said the new ECOWAS Parliament Speaker should now give chance to capable individuals to take up the leadership in Parliament, especially so when he is among those eying the highly coveted position.
The ECOWAS Speaker, in his submission, said the position of ECOWAS Speakership is not a residential position, adding that the ECOWAS Statute did not prohibit any Member to hold position in his home Parliament.
He said he will hold on to the position and will not resign, assuring that he will continue to be Leader of Government Business in the House without hindrance.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 14th April 2020, a letter of appointment of both the Leader and Deputy Leader of Government Business, Hon. Matthew Nyuma and Hon. Bashiru Silikie, respectively, reached the desk of the Speaker of Parliament.
In spite of the submissions by the new ECOWAS Speaker of Parliament, the Chairman of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Dr. Prince Alexander Harding, appointed the two MPs to take over the position of Leader and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament.
This development in the House has sparked heated debate to the point that most of the opposition MPs and some in the ruling party are reportedly not pleased over the removal of Hon. Mohamed Sidi Tunis as Leader of Government Business.